Recently in Streets is Talking Category

Michael Stipe and co. called it quits on Wednesday, after several harmonious decades as R.E.M. This is somewhat of a bummer, though it'd be disingenuous to claim any sort of long-standing fandom of a band enjoying its heyday as ATG sucked back pacifiers. But as music fans, there's an inherent need to cover the right bases when landscape changes occur. ATG reached out to the pre-eminent R.E.M. scholar in the field, my buddy Josh Bradshaw:

"Before you start, watch Michael Stipe in this clip from The Adventures of Pete and Pete.

R.E.M.'s career is neatly divided between the IRS years (80-88) and their Warner Bros albums (88'-94/96')...and well, the 'meh' years (94 or 96'-now).

I'd recommend starting with the IRS compilation, Eponymous to see which albums the tracks you like are on, then going from there to explore their '80s work. Murmur's great but I feel it's one of those historically hyped albums that's easily disappointing.

Green, Out of Time, and Automatic For The People are the huge albums. Out of Time is easily the poppiest and most divisive (i.e. the "Shiney Happy People" song). Green's a bit heavier and darker (for R.E.M.) and Automatic is one of the best albums ever recorded by anyone ever.

It gets kinda dicey after that. Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi were their last solid albums. Up and Reveal had some good singles but are pretty mediocre. Around the Sun will put you to sleep. If you've managed to get hooked, save Accelerate and Collapse Into Now for last, they are great to end on, but, I dunno, they don't mean much if you haven't heard their previous work."

All photos by Callie Richmond for ATG.

Here's an itemized breakdown of the sites and sounds Reggie and I experienced during March's South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas. It was fun and intense. More importantly, hit the jump to sample ATG's avalanche of wonderful, exclusive photos taken and procured in the name of hip-hop.  

Reggie

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Ramon

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Photo by Callie Richmond for ATG.

Reggie and I spent the South by Southwest music conference comparing notes and writing for others. ATG will come through with blessed recaps and astonishing photos from an unreal week of hip-hop that boasted staggering levels of star power.

Yes, we got into Kanye: I had to make moves bro, put my shades on and walked in through the VIP line.

All photos by Callie Richmond for ATG.

First, the internal, editorial decision was made to give up on the medium and forgo a rundown about rap videos. There were some cool ones, but listing them wouldn't be indicative of what was being bumped in the clubs, the streets, the subways, the cars, and through the earphones. More importantly, there's no competition.

As individualistic and fickle as listeners continue to be, this year-end list is defined by uniting, thumping moments that kept everyone zoned out in headphone bliss for days on end. In 2010, heavyweights emerged and veterans forcefully pushed back, but not in a Raekwon v. Kid Cudi, two schools sort of way like last year. By now we all understand it's all good. With such a precondition firmly in place, creativity burned down regional barriers like never before. Save for New York City's inbred, traditionalist talent pool (good luck there pushing Vado, you guys), American rap soared and 2010 will stand along any year's genre output.

Reggie on a friend's dignity-eroding, social media-based challenge taken on for the benefit of a summer internship. He puts the thing in generational context, it's a great read penned for The Awl.  

• Chalie Boy
• Paul Wall & Chamillionaire
• Madlib
• Peanut Butter Wolf
• Broken Bells
• Reflection Eternal
• Jean Grae
• 8Ball & MJG
• Nappy Roots
• Sage Francis
• Killer Mike
• GZA
• Slum Village
• Mayer Hawthorne
• Theophilus London
• Kid Sister & Flosstradamus
• Donnis
• Pharoahe Monch
• B Real
• Skyzoo
• 9th Wonder
• Sean Price
• Mickey Factz
• Murs
• Freeway
• Evidence
• Donald Glover
• Black Milk
• Tanya Morgan
• Xzibit
• Charles Hamilton
• Rhymefest
• The Cool Kids
• 88 Keys
• Freddie Gibbs
• J. Cole
• Wiz Khalifa
• Pac Div
• Pill
• Fashawn
• Yelawolf
• Nas
• Damian Marley
  
• Big Sean
• Shawn Chrystopher
• Bun B
• Mike Posner